Song of the Day: Camera Obscura “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken”

“Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” is a delightfully ramshackle number from British indie rock act, Camera Obscura. The song is an ebullient ditty that finds singer/ songwriter Tracyanne Campbell declaring herself to be open to the world’s possibilities while also acknowledging the risk of heartbreak. The song plows forwards like the best British invasion tracks, propelled by a reverb-laden guitar hook, its way greased by soaring strings, smooth organ and billowy clouds of layered backing vocals. The song kicked off the band’s 2006 LP, Let’s Get Out Of This Country and signified a new, more expensive direction in the band’s sound which had previously been rooted in lo-fi acoustics. It is also a playfully direct answer to Lloyd Cole And The Commotions‘ 1984 song, “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?“.

Camera Obscura was formed in Glasgow in 1996. The group was initially a trio consisting of the aforementioned Tracyanne Campbell along with John Henderson on percussion and Gavin Dunbar on bass. The band has gone through numerous line-up shifts over the years with Campbell and Dunbar remaining the only two permanent members. While the band is most often now found in 4-piece configuration, it frequently tours with a horn section, allowing for a more expansive interpretation of its sound. The group have carefully honed its indie pop sound over the years. While the group’s last released LP arrived in 2013, they remain a committed touring act.

 
BONUS! A blistering live take of the song: